Advice Please!

Hi,

My husband and I have been considering getting a puppy and would appreciate some advice.

We’ve never owned a dog before and have been looking at a Bichon-Frise. The problem is that we both work full time so there will be nobody home in-between 08:15 – 17:15 each workday to keep them company. We are looking into the costs of a dog sitter for 30 mins each lunchtime but would this be enough? I appreciate the level of attention they would require and wouldn’t ever contemplate leaving them at home alone for long periods of time if it were not good for the dogs wellbeing.

Are there any breeds of dog more suitable to our restrictions?

Regards,

Cheryl

Hi - it`s not the breed that you`ll find is the problem, it`s the age. In the same way you might leave a teenager for a few hours in your home unsupervised and you`d leave your grown up kids without a qualm..... how would you feel leaving a toddler? Or a 7 year old? Can you imagine the mischief a bored child would get up to?
Now add sharp teef and a total disregard for consequences.....
Why not look at rehoming a grown dog? Taking on a pup means you will need to educate, train and socialise them - a long and time-consuming job.

Hello Cheryl,

To be honest, any breed of dog left for 9 hours a day, five days a week, is going to suffer in my opinion - especially when they have newly arrived in the home.

I know that lots of people on here work a full day with no problems, and they will probably give you many reasons why it is completely okay to get a new dog and leave it to it's own devices for so long.

I just think that you should think very carefully before taking on a dog - if it is left alone all day long, even with perhaps a break of half an hour with a dog sitter, then would it be fair to go out again in the evening? At weekends? Are you prepared to give up most of any social life that you currently enjoy to spend time with your dog? They are a huge tie at the best of times (a very nice one though ) but if you are leaving him/her alone all day then that tie becomes rather tighter. What if the dog becomes ill? Is one or other of you flexible in your work so that you can stay at home?

You would probably need to take a couple of weeks holiday in order to settle in your new dog, and try to start the formation of a bond. That is not very long though.

Do think very very carefully.